'The casting of Giselle Allen‚ Rafael Rojas and Robert Hayward in the lead roles in this new production was welcome news‚ for these powerful singer/actors were sure to give high octane‚ emotionally convincing performances…
Act III is a darkened castle where the cupola has been turned up on its side to become a imprisoning wall in front of which lies a chained Cavaradossi. Rafael Rojas is a man of physical presence in possession of a rock sold tenor voice that gives the impression it could cope with anything thrown at it. In Act I his passion showed but by now he is broken. His final meeting with Tosca brings about a slow revival stoked by the fires of love. Rojas and Allen’s scenes together prove them to have voices of well matched tone and power exercised with perfect balance. At the final affirmation of their love – when one might expect a full-blown duet complete with soaring orchestral accompaniment in the style of La bohème – they join hands to face the audience and in another innovative Puccini masterstroke blast out their feelings in unison with no accompaniment at all. It is powerful stuff.
'

' The leads portrayals; Allen’s Tosca‚ Hayward’s Scarpia and Rojas’ Cavaradossi absolutely stand out and are appreciatively acknowledged at curtain call at the end of the performance.'

Tosca‚ Opera NorthThe Telegraph (September 2018)

'Best of all is Rafael Rojas‚ the Mexican tenor whose regular service is one of Opera North’s greatest assets: as Cavaradossi... he is a sensitive actor and both “Vittoria!” and “E lucevan le Stelle” were both squarely on the money.'

Tosca‚ Opera NorthThe Times (September 2018)

'When he’s not being tortured‚ Rojas brings romantic colouring to the luckless Cavaradossi‚ useful in an opera where lyric feelings always play second fiddle to melodramatic thrills.'

Un ballo in maschera‚ Opera NorthOpera Magazine (April 2018)

'Rafael Rojas has trodden these boards many a time but never more earnestly than as Gustavus. His commitment was total; his tenor fiery and his lower range helpfully baritonal. '

Un ballo in maschera‚ Opera NorthThe Reviews Hub (March 2018)

'Rafael Rojas depicts a virtuous king whose honour is disrupted only by love‚ and even then without stepping out of line. Rojas is terrific in the role‚ and vocally astounding. His solo in Act Three‚ just before the masked ball where he knows his time will be up‚ could break your heart.'

'Opera North favourite Rafael Rojas‚ as King Gustavo‚ gives the kind of performacne we have come to expect from him. His acting is as reliable as an atomic clock while the voice never fails to thrill.'

'The one great scene between Amelia and Gustavo is compelling and Rojas and Miksch both sing superbly throughout while acting with conviction and naturalness‚ he negotiating a range of mood swings effectively‚ she communicating an affecting intensity.'

'Rafael Rojas‚ a celebrated star at Opera North and a shortlisted candidate in last year’s WhatsOnStage Opera Poll for his magisterial Andrea Chénier‚ is in sensational voice as Calaf. Why the Mexican tenor is not a regular in London defies all common sense‚ for meanwhile Europe and the north of England eats him up. The score’s roaring high notes are loud and secure; "Nessun dorma" is given meaning and subtext.'

Turandot‚ Opera NorthBachTrack.com (April 2017)

'Tenor Rafael Rojas was breathtaking as Calaf‚ as he was in January last year in the title role of Andrea Chénier‚ top notes sweet and pure‚ everything calculated‚ never going too far. His seemingly effortless “Nessun Dorma” in Act 3 was thrilling‚ eclipsing the Pavarotti recording which must have been in most minds. His riddle scene with Orla Boylan as the Princess was particularly gripping.'

Turandot‚ Opera NorthSeen and Heard International (April 2017)

'That said‚ he characterised his turmoil well‚ helped by a wonderfully expressive face and posture. Today ‘Nessun Dorma’ comes saddled with so much extra-operatic baggage and classical musical heritage (Pavarotti et al) that it could seem an unenviable task to sing it. Rojas didn’t seem the least phased by this historical weight‚ bringing to it passion and sincerity. I expect I wasn’t the only one to get goosebumps.'

Turandot‚ Opera NorthThe Guardian (April 2017)

'It is left to Rafael Rojas’s Calaf to win her with his irresistibly burnished voice‚ and an impeccably tasteful delivery of Nessun dorma that demands room for a fourth tenor on the podium.'

'the cast on the first night was uniformly strong. Calaf was Rafael Rojas‚ most recently heard in Britain as Opera North’s Andrea Chénier earlier this year (he will sing Calaf for Opera North in April and May). His was a powerful intelligent reading of the prince‚ vocally expressive and completely secure - musically refined as well as dramatically involving‚ and mercifully free of ham-acting. '

'Rafael Rojas‚ another whose talents have graced Leeds on several occasions‚ certainly took his vocal chances as Chénier whenever they came‚ not least in his Improvviso building up a head of steam‚ from musings on nature to lambasting toffs for their heartless disregard of the poor. Here as elsewhere his resonance was rock-solid throughout his range‚ though he remained physically impassive until his final duet with Annemarie Kremer’s Maddalena. Both had kept something in reserve for what was an irresistibly electric finale.'

Andrea Chénier‚ Opera NorthWhat’sOnStage.com (February 2016)

'...the role requires a grand tenor with a powerful stage presence and a handsome‚ tireless voice – and in Rafael Rojas this production has one. The Mexican has unmistakable hints of fellow-countryman Plácido Domingo in his pomp‚ yet he’s his own man and he gives the show its triumphant figurehead'

Andrea Chénier‚ Opera NorthBachTrack.com (January 2016)

'Andrea Chénier (Rafael Rojas) ...when Rojas fills the stage with a breathtaking “Un di all’azzurro spazio”‚ avoiding the excesses sometimes associated with verismo arias‚ never sacrificing legato‚ topmost notes sweet‚ pure and passionate‚ as indeed they were in his appearance on the same stage two years ago in Puccini’s La fanciulla del Westas the bandit Ramerrez. He dominates throughout‚ apparently effortlessly...a wonderful delivery of the duet “Vicino a te s’acquesta” which is given all the romantic intensity it requires'

Andrea Chénier‚ Opera NorthCritics’ Circle (January 2016)

'I leave till last the title role‚ always the challenge of this marvellous opera – with its string of tenor opportunities familiar to all who fancy Italianate heldentenor form (Jon Vickers in an early Italian Arias LP‚ and Franco Corelli devastatingly at his best on EMI with the complete opera). Rafael Rojas was the linchpin of this terrific achievement‚ stylish‚ thrilling‚ meaningful‚ elegant in his acting and in his musicianship. This is a very good voice well worth hearing. But above all Rojas knows with what blessing Giordano’s arias are endowing him and gives them perfect intensity and roundness. Especially the first aria gripped me totally‚ made the hair stand up on the back of my neck. Illica uses the actual poet’s words and Rojas inspired us with their meaning. Beautiful‚ exciting and transforming: the character fixed for whatever fate throws at him‚ the opera made real as it should be'

Andrea Chénier‚ Opera NorthGuardian (January 2016)

'Rafael Rojas‚ Annemarie Kremer and Robert Hayward give riveting performances...Rafael Rojas has been Opera North’s go-to verismo tenor in recent seasons‚ excelling in Tosca‚ Madame Butterfly and The Girl of the Golden West and surpassing himself here. His first act exposition on the sufferings of the poor unfolded thrillingly from lyrical pity to fulminating anger‚ the voice ringing clear and true in every register'

Andrea Chénier‚ Opera NorthObserver on Sunday (January 2016)

'Their aristocratic insouciance is contrasted by the tuneful integrity and cussedness of the poet Andrea Chénier himself. Tall‚ dark and handsome and in a fantastic‚ almost floor-length‚ tailored grey overcoat‚ Rafael Rojas sings with unruffled dignity. He is a beautifully seasoned tenor‚ and a man not about to lose his cool to any trundling tumbrel. He does a sublime line in reproaching the gilded household for their failure to understand what it means to be a poet. And‚ when he falls in love with Maddalena‚ his voice takes off – his gallantry transcendent'

Andrea Chénier‚ Opera NorthON Magazine Yorkshire (January 2016)

'Rojas gives a powerful and moving performance as the stricken Chénier‚ loving his country‚ hating the injustices‚ but appalled by the horrors that have been unleashed. His voice is strong and resonant‚ and his love duet with Maddalena di Coigny is truly beautiful'

Andrea Chénier‚ Opera NorthScarborough News (January 2016)

'Pick up the phone now‚ dial Leeds Grand and book a ticket to see Opera North’s Andre Chenier – it is that good...the major feature of the evening was some astonishing singing: cast and chorus were extremely strong...Immediately the Mexican tenor Rafael Rojas as Chenier launched into his first aria we knew we were in for something special...the audience demanded the right to stop the action and applaud fine performances'

Andrea Chénier‚ Opera NorthTelegraph (January 2016)

'Rafael Rojas‚ a Mexican tenor with a tang of his compatriot Domingo in his vocal timbre‚ makes a warmly noble Chénier‚ singing with admirable steadiness and clarity. This is Opera North at its imaginative and resourceful best – a thrilling evening that richly deserved its enthusiastic reception'

'Rafael Rojas certainly takes his vocal chances as Chénier‚ notably in his Improvviso‚ tearing strips off the toffs for their heartless disregard of the poor. His tenor is rock-solid throughout his range‚ though he remains physically impassive until his final duet with Annemarie Kremer’s Maddalena. Both keep something in reserve for this irresistibly electric finale. Their little caper of ecstasy in anticipation of the scaffold is a typical Arden touch'

Andrea Chénier‚ Opera NorthYorkshire Post (January 2016)

'If you only see one opera this year‚ make sure you do not miss one of the four remaining performances of Opera North’s outstanding new production of Giordano’s highly charged drama‚ Andrea Chenier...Giordano calls for a large cast to weave the story around the arias given to the main protagonists‚ and in the generous and robust voice of Rafael Rojas‚ you could not wish to hear a more passionate Chenier'

Turandot‚ Bregenz FestivalNew York Times (August 2015)

'In Turandot Calaf (the tenor Rafael Rojas‚ sounding tenderly intimate even in these daunting surroundings)‚ with his neat mustache and ’20s suit‚ closely resembles Puccini‚ triumphing over death at the end'

'Mexican tenor Rafael Rojas plays Mexican bandit Ramerrez‚ a musical relative of Cavaradossi. His powerful‚ rather sweet and sentimental tones are just right for the passionate love scene with Minnie...Rojas has his magic moments with the only real showstopper – “Ch’ella mì creda libero” – when he pleads that Minnie must not know his fate‚ as he waits to be hoisted up by the vicious sheriff. This is hair-raisingly effective‚ truly memorable'

'Both baritone Robert Hayward as Jack Rance‚ and tenor Rafael Rojas as Dick Johnson‚ perfectly matched her and refused to be vocally outgunned. At climactic moments all three of them were able to blast their top notes over Puccini’s unforgiving orchestration. The men acted well...Rafael Rojas‚ (who‚ as a Mexican‚ has good bandit credentials) as Johnson is converted from dangerous robber to weak kneed lover for the same reason'

La fanciulla del West‚ Opera NorthTelegraph (January 2014)

'Ramerrez is the authentically Mexican tenor Rafael Rojas‚ rather dapper for an outlawed bandit‚ but vibrant in tone and secure in shaping Puccini’s expansive phrases'

'Tenor Rafael Rojas and baritone Warwick Fyfe‚ as the Duke of Mantua and Rigoletto respectively‚ renew their partnership from last year’s I Pagliacci‚ to even greater effect. What a marvelously self- indulgent Duke we heard from Rojas‚ and what a splendidly confident‚ ringing‚ tenor voice he has! He suited the opulent setting of the opening to perfection'

Rigoletto‚ New Zealand OperaNational Business Review (May 2012)

'Rafael Rojas as the duke sang gloriously as the laidback hedonist with just the right mix of bravado and self-awareness. In his role as Gilda’s lover his voice took on an elegant combination of romanticism and cynicism which helped create a fully rounded disreputable character'

Rigoletto‚ New Zealand OperaNew Zealand Listener (May 2012)

'Warwick Fyfe and Rafael Rojas‚ as Rigoletto and the Duke respectively‚ are utterly commanding in vocal and dramatic interpretation and powerful projection...This production‚ under the supple‚ impassioned musical direction of Wyn Davies‚ has so many strengths it is a must-see. In many decades of opera-going‚ I have rarely felt such complete delight in every aspect of a production'

'So it was with this strong‚ skilled cast and within a significantly more interesting story that Canio himself‚ well played by Rafael Rojas from Mexico‚ delivered the aria of the evening with a tearful heat-breaking performance of love and loss in the arias of all arias‚ Vesti la guibba‚ with such vocal force and ardor that I swear it loosened a shower of plaster dust from the proscenium and all but achieved a standing ovation. It was thrilling'

Pagliacci‚ New Zealand OperaNew Zealand Herald (September 2011)

'When we come to Pagliacci’s play-within-a-play‚ it comes off brilliantly‚ as the singers have sketched their real-life characters so well. Rafael Rojas’ blustering Canio is a small-town Othello revealing his vulnerability in a breathtaking Vesti la Giubba'

Pagliacci‚ New Zealand OperaTheatre Review.org.nz (September 2011)

'Pagliacci’s (Rafael Rojas) first act close‚ ‘Vesti la guibba’ is one of the classics of opera and last night we could have been in any opera house in the world. First rate‚ top class‚ spellbinding‚ I defy anyone to come away from Pagliacci unmoved...Rafael Rojas as Canio/Pagliacci fills the stage with voice‚ body and character'

Pagliacci‚ New Zealand OperaDominion Post (August 2011)

'The tenors are equally superb...Rafael Rojas as Canio/Pagliacci not only has a fine voice as well‚ but sings up a storm‚ with an impassioned Vesta la Giubba'

Pagliacci‚ New Zealand OperaNational Business Review (August 2011)

'...superbly realised...Rafael Rojas as Canio the brutal husband'

Pagliacci‚ New Zealand OperaStuff.co.nz (August 2011)

'Pagliacci is a heaven-sent score full of emotional complexity and drama‚ here revealed with marvellous fervour by Rafael Rojas'

'...tenor Rafael Rojas and soprano Linda Richardson in devastating form for the finale to Act One of Puccini’s La Boheme‚ a great triple-whammy of an emotional belly punch where the two singers‚ accompanied by the Orchestra of Scottish Opera‚ extracted every ounce of juice out of Puccini’s masterfully-manipulative tear-jerker'

'...this is a powerful and vibrant voice which‚ combined with alert acting skills‚ made for a credible president'

Tosca‚ Opera NorthThe Leeds Guide (October 2008)

'`Rafael Rojas‚ reprising his role as Cavaradossi‚ whose every note portrays either his devotion as Tosca’s lover or his zeal as the revolutionary sympathiser. It is difficult to imagine the ’Letter Aria’ in Act 2 having any greater emotional involvement than his‚ a truly vocal tour-de-force that would be worth the price of a seat by itself'

Tosca‚ Opera NorthYorkshire Evening Post (October 2008)

'...Rafael Rojas and Robert Hayward were brilliant in their respective parts‚ in fact they were faultless...'

'Rafael Rojas may have been got up to look like a playboy rather past his best‚ but his voice was in fine shape'

Rigoletto‚ Opera NorthMorning Star (October 2006)

'Rafael Rojas as Il Duca‚ was also superb. He managed to make that old pot-boiler La Donna sound as fresh as when it first astounded the audiences of Venice over a century-and-a-half ago'

Rigoletto‚ Opera NorthHerald (June 2006)

'Rafael Rojas was a magnificently powerful tenor in the true Italian style'

La Rondine‚ Opera NorthMusicOMH.com (May 2006)

'Mexican tenor Rafael Rojas‚ who plays her lover Ruggero Lastouc...there was genuine chemistry between them and their duets were sympathetic and rather touching. Here’s a meaty tenor voice‚ and one to watch: he has an Italianate tone and a very giving approach to singing'

La Rondine‚ Opera NorthStage (March 2006)

'Rafael Rojas‚ the new Ruggero‚ deploys a confident tenor‚ warm at the top‚ with considerable refinement...fittingly catches the youth’s naivety and passion and compliments Magda’s greater reticence'

La Rondine‚ opera NorthTimes online (March 2006)

'...rapturous duets with Rafael Rojas’s Ruggero‚ Magda’s new capture and hope. Looks and gait don’t quite suggest a young man from the provinces‚ but Rojas isn’t afraid of D flat in his Act III duet‚ and his fury in discovering that his bird has other nests is genuine'

Turandot‚ Welsh National OperaGuardian (September 2004)

'Tenor Rafael Rojas...a Calaf of dignity and bearing‚ with a Nessun Dorma to match'

Tosca‚ Opera New ZealandOperaCritic.com (October 2003)

'...the Mexican tenor brought a glowing and very Latin passion to everything he sang'